US prepares military options to hit Islamic State militants in Syria but no decision taken to extend strikes beyond Iraq

Updated
Tue 26 Aug 2014, 10:40 AM AEST

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US president Barack Obama had talks on Monday with Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel to discuss military action in Syria.

AFP: Brendan Smialowski

The United States is preparing military options to pressure the Islamic State in Syria, the Pentagon said, but officials cautioned no decision had been made to expand action beyond the limited air strikes under way in Iraq.

President Barack Obama has so far sought a limited military campaign in Iraq focused on protecting American diplomats and civilians under direct threat.

Officials have not ruled out escalating military action against IS, which has increased its overt threats against the United States.

It is believed surveillance aircraft, including unmanned drones, will soon be deployed to gain a clearer picture of the situation on the ground.

General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said last week IS would need to eventually be addressed on "both sides of what is essentially at this point a non-existent border" between Syria and Iraq.

General Dempsey's spokesman confirmed on Monday that options against IS were under review and stressed the need to form "a coalition of capable regional and European partners".

"With Central Command, [Dempsey] is preparing options to address IS both in Iraq and Syria with a variety of military tools including airstrikes," Colonel Ed Thomas said.

"The bottom line is that our forces are well postured to partner with regional allies against IS."

Two other US officials also acknowledged the preparation of strike options against IS in Syria, with one saying planning had been under way for weeks.

Republicans have called for more aggressive US action to defeat IS militants, accusing Mr Obama of policies that have failed to thwart potential new threats on US soil.

At the White House, spokesman Josh Earnest said Mr Obama would consult Congress on whatever he decides on Syria, but would not necessarily seek congressional approval.

He said Mr Obama had not made any decisions on whether to use air strikes against IS militants in Syria.

Mr Earnest said the IS threat is a different situation from a year ago when Mr Obama said he wanted Congress to approve the use of air strikes to stop Syrian president Bashir al-Assad from using chemical weapons on his own people.

General Dempsey, Colonel Thomas said, believed IS needed to be pressured in Iraq and Syria and that defeating the group would require a sustained effort over an extended period of time "and much more than military action".

Although the US air campaign launched this month in Iraq has caused some setbacks for IS, it does not address the deeper problem of sectarian warfare which the group has fuelled with its attacks on Shi'ites.